How to get off sleeping pills – a reader’s question
There is no easy way to retrain your body to sleep after you have been taking sleeping pills for a while. There will be a period of withdrawal, however you decide to tackle it. However it can be done, and the results are worth the effort, because your sleep will be of much better quality and you will feel far better during the day. Here a reader (not her real name) asks how she can stop taking Seroquel, a good decision indeed!
Another thing to think about, if you want to know how to get off sleeping pills, is why did you start taking sleeping pills in the first place? Obviously you were having sleep problems to start with. Try to resolve the situation that got you started on the pills before weaning yourself off them, otherwise you won’t succeed. If it was stress causing your sleep problems, do everything you can to get rid of this.
Hi Wendy,
First of all, I just wanted to say that it is very refreshing to see some information encouraging sleep without pills.
I am suffering from severe chronic insomnia and am dependent on medication for sleep. My insomnia started last year.I went months without sleep, and then I couldn’t take it anymore and was desperate for medication. I have now been on medication for almost a year. The only medicine that helps me to sleep is Seroquel.
Even though I am sleeping with the medication, it is horrible sleep and I feel awful everyday. I am ready to stop the medication and try to fix myself. I am afraid that since it has been so long, almost a year since I slept “normal”, I won’t ever be able to sleep again.
Can severe insomnia that has been going on for a year be fixed? I am afraid will my body/ brain be able to relearn to sleep? I just want to be back to my normal self – the happy, sleeping self.
Melanie
Hi Melanie
Yes, your body can re-learn how to sleep. You may have to do this in stages though. Try gradually taking reduced doses of Seroquel and see how you go. There are herbal remedies on the site that you can take to ease this transition a bit, or try the sleep tracks which can ease your brainwaves down to a more relaxed state. Like anything, these things work better for some people than for others.
Have patience with yourself while going through this process. Recognize that you will have some sleepless nights so that they won’t be an unpleasant surprise. When you can finally sleep without medication you’ll find your sleep quality improving.
I hope this helps a bit Melanie
Wendy
See also the page about getting off sleeping pills for more information
